Question

How many members did the Constituent Assembly of India have?
A. 199
B. 299
C. 399
D. 279

Answer 1

Hint: Before 1947, the total number of members Constituent Assembly had was 389. After 1947 the total number was changed.

Complete answer:
The Constitution making process was assembled around the contemplation of the Constituent Assembly. The members of the Constituent Assembly were elected on a finite franchise.

 B. 299- This is the right option. Since 1947 the total number of seats Constituent assembly has is 299.

Additional information:
The Cabinet Mission Plan, which set up the Constituent Assembly of India, rejected full adult franchise for elections to the Constituent Assembly and in place of that proposed indirect elections by members of the current elected Provincial Legislative Assemblies. In addition to members elected by the Provincial Legislative Assembly (292), the Princely States and the Chief Commissioner’s Provinces gave 93 and 4 members of the Constituent Assembly taking the total membership to 389. After separation in 1947, the total number of seats came down to 299 as some Provinces and Princely States became part of Pakistan. Rajendra Prasad was the first Chairman of this Assembly.

A great chunk of contemplation of the Constituent Assembly was on the Draft Constitution made by the Drafting Committee. Members of the Constituent Assembly proposed changes which had to be yielded in advance to the Chairman, and these were discussed at length. At the end of a discussion around an Article of the Draft Constitution, the Constituent Assembly either embraced or refused changes. It took conclusions through a majority vote.
On 9 December 1946, the Constituent Assembly settled for the first time. In the span of 2 years and 11 months, it finished its task of mounting the Indian Constitution. During this span of time the Constituent Assembly had 11 sessions and sat for a total of 166 days. On 26 November the Constituent Assembly embraced the Constitution of India which came into power on 26 January 1950.

Hence the correct answer is option ‘B’.

Note: There are 299 seats in the Constituent assembly of India. Rajendra Prasad was the first Chairman of the Constituent Assembly.